“Have you ever had chapped lips?” we didn’t ask anyone, ever. Chapped lips are part of the human experience. We might as well ask, “Have you ever tried breathing oxygen?”

Everyone knows that telltale dry, flaky feeling...and we're all tired of it.

Some of us start every winter by stocking up on cheap chapstick, convinced that parched lips are seasonal and there’s no choice but to grin and bear it for a few months. Meanwhile, others bounce from lip care hack to “miracle” product, caught in a year-round struggle between chapping and mattifying lipstick.

In reality, various factors can cause chapping — some obvious and some surprising. So how can you genuinely care for your lips and keep them soft and luscious year-round?

The first step is understanding why the skin of your lips is so special...and so vulnerable.

Why Your Lips Need TLC

It goes without saying that your lips are unique from the rest of your skin. They look different, feel different, and can be much more sensitive. But have you ever stopped to wonder what makes your lips so singular?

For one thing, the skin of your lips is much thinner. Whereas your rosy cheeks may be made of up to 16 skin cell layers, your lips are more delicately covered with only 3 to 5 layers. These layers are easily damaged, which is why your lips require careful attention.

Just imagine the difference between a solid pie crust and fragile, almost transparent sheets of phyllo pastry. Both are made with dough, but thin phyllo must be handled with extra care!

Your lips may also be more sensitive than the rest of your skin because they don’t produce any naturally protective oils.

Usually, your complexion protects itself with sebum, which helps keep out bacteria and contaminants while holding in vital moisture. But your lips don’t have this luxury. This missing line of defense makes it tough for your lips to maintain hydration and leaves them vulnerable to chapping or other damage.

Are my lips chapped?

If you have to ask, the answer is probably yes. You already know the signs!

dryness, flaking, peeling, scales, sores, swelling, cracking, bleeding, redness, burning, stinging, or tingling

What Causes Chapping?

It’s true that your tender, thin-skinned lips are already susceptible to chapping, but that’s only half the equation. When your lips start cracking and drying in earnest, there’s inevitably a trigger involved. Three of the biggest? Dry air, constant lip licking, and — say it ain’t so — cosmetics.

Dry Air

When you’re in a dry environment, it can be an uphill struggle for your lips to hold onto their precious hydration. This is why chapped lips are often associated with the dry, cold air of winter. But they can also lose moisture in dry heat like desert climates or in a dry indoor setting, such as your home or office.

Excessive Lip Licking

When your lips begin feeling dry, it may seem natural to dampen them with a quick swipe of your tongue. But actually, this is counterproductive! That temporary sheen of moisture quickly evaporates from the surface of your skin, plus strips other moisture from your lips as it goes. In the end, you’re left with even less hydration than you started with.

Drying or Irritating Cosmetics

Certain ingredients are too harsh for the extra-sensitive skin of your lips and can quickly leave them dried and flaky. Common culprits include dehydrating lipsticks, synthetic lip plumpers, and flavored chapsticks, which may contain any of the following:

• Eucalyptus
• Cinnamon or mint-based flavors
• “Fragrance”
• Menthol
• Camphor
• Salicylic acid
• Lanolin

Are your lip products tingling or burning? That’s not a sign that they’re working — it’s irritation.

Your sensitive lips can also react poorly to dehydration, mouth breathing, and some medications (including Accutane).

But whatever trigger is inflicting you with dry, unwanted chapping — whether it’s winter weather or that perfect matte lipstick shade — we have the answer to help repair and restore your luscious lips.

How to Get Rid of Chapped Lips

When chapped lips come knocking, your first impulse might be to reach for Vaseline or other heavy, petroleum-based products. After all, if the skin on your lips is so thin and vulnerable, it must need a thick, impenetrable lip balm, right?

Actually, petroleum jelly may be too thick for sensitive lips. For one thing, it creates a dense barrier that can trap bacteria and impurities against your skin, causing more problems down the line.

But isn’t that barrier good for locking in moisture?

True, it is also moisture-proof. But if your lips are already chapped, there isn’t much moisture to lock in. And unfortunately, petroleum jelly doesn’t impart any hydration of its own. Your dry lips are left with a shiny, greasy sheen, but no healing moisture is getting through.

So, if “classics” like Vaseline won’t save your lips, what can you do? Is it a lost cause?

Whether your lips are still smooth or you’re already facing flaky, painful frustration, the best path to softer skin is by supporting the whole health of your lips. And the easiest way to do that is by partnering good habits with clean, nourishing lip products.

You already have a favorite skincare routine that you use to cleanse and freshen your skin daily. So why would you overlook caring for the delicate skin of your lips?

Luckily, our Perfect Pout Lip Kit makes lip care as easy as 1, 2, 3.

For lips that are prone to dryness and chapping, your #1 concern is always moisture. But your average chapstick only hydrates the surface of your skin. Soon, that moisture dissipates, and you’re back to square one.

That’s why our Perfect Pout Kit includes a saturating balm infused with lip-enriching shea butter. This star ingredient bathes your skin with true, deep-reaching hydration that helps replenish your lips from within. Simply apply throughout the day to revive your smile with a burst of luscious, lasting hydration.

But why stop there? Our kit sure doesn’t.

Next, you can complement your freshly moisturized lips with lavish rejuvenation from the Perfect Pout Kit’s second treasure, our overnight lip mask. It instills profound nourishment with vitamins and minerals that promote the health of your lips and help keep them plush while you sleep.

As a third and final grace note, our Perfect Pout Kit also boasts a gentle lip polish. This invigorating scrub takes your pucker beyond soft, all the way to luxe and velvety. Thoughtfully created for your lips’ extra-fragile skin, the polish buffs away imperfections with natural strawberry seeds that are mild enough for daily use. So your lips are always left fresh and kiss-ready!

Our Perfect Pout Kit isn’t your average lip care. Vegan and petroleum-free, it’s crafted with natural butters and botanicals that deposit benefits beyond the surface of your skin.

We’ve all dealt with chapped lips at one time or another, but you don’t have to keep letting this annoyance mar the sumptuous canvas of your cupid’s bow. Our potent, nutrient-rich blend of ingredients is ready to infuse your lips with the wholesome hydration and nourishment they crave.

So what are you waiting for? With Averr Aglow’s help, your perfect pout is right around the corner.xx